Finally: waterproof books for bath, beach and pool!

€10,521

pledged of €9,000 goal

262

backers

We love reading a good book but it can be difficult to find the peace of mind needed to fully savor the writings of great authors like Shakespeare or Yeats. What works for us is to relax in a hot bath, switch off our phones and settle into a great literary classic. But paper and water don't mix, and an iPad in a plastic sheet just doesn't do it for us. We want to read, not skim and swipe. That is why we are creating fully waterproof versions of great works of literature and poetry.

It is 2015 and the world deserves waterproof books. But we need your support to get started. That is why we are offering four inspiring masterpieces for our backers. So pledge now, to get your first waterproof book and help make this happen!

#1

For those who would like to start off with something light, we have put together a selection of eight wonderful short stories by Mark Twain. They are just the right length for a relaxing bath or a cup of coffee by the seaside, combining both humor and tenderness. A fantastic book to start with if you don’t read all that much or that often – offered here as a great giveaway.

Contents:1. How to Tell a Story 2. A Dog’s Tale 3. The Californian’s Tale 4. A Helpless Situation 5. The Five Boons of Life 6. Extracts from Adam’s Diary 7. Eve’s Diary 8. Extract From Adam’s Diary

#2

Poetry is writing at its most poignant, and William Butler Yeats was one of the finest poets of the English language. Yet it seems we never actually get around to reading him. Put this selection of poetic masterpieces next to your bathtub or take it with you to the beach and open yourself up to a whole new world of words.

104 pages

52 poems, including: Cloths of Heaven, A Poet to His Beloved, The Second Coming, Sailing to Byzantium, He Remembers Forgotten Beauty and The Rose of the World

#3

You may have seen it in the theater or studied the book in class, but have you ever really read Shakespeare's classic masterpiece? Written as a stage play in the early 17th century, Macbeth can be daunting for the uninitiated. But of course, that is also the beauty of this work.

We believe this book deserves to be absorbed slowly. That is why we have paid extra attention to the layout and editing to create a waterproof edition that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your bathroom. Read and re-read each chapter and fully appreciate all the complexities hidden in this simple story. And don’t be too shy to read the odd act out loud. It is a play, after all!

All five acts in 190 pages

Original text based on the 1916 Oxford edition. Edited where necessary for easy reading.

#4

An exclusive for our Kickstarter backers: We are designing and printing a limited edition of the magnificent Art of War, by Sun Zi. We will not reprint this book after the Kickstarter campaign!

Many classics of philosophy and strategy are considered timeless but they often prove tough to get to grips with. Sun Zi is the exception. Over 2,500 years old, The Art of War reads like a Chinese master wrote a brilliant blog post on diplomacy and strategy - with some ancient chariots and foot soldiers thrown in for good measure!

We have chosen to use a more modern, fluent interpretation of the text, rather than to just translate the original characters word for word. The result is a book which is easy to read yet packs a ton of wisdom into each paragraph. A real badass strategist spends Sunday nights in a hot bath with a good glass of whiskey and this limited edition of The Art of War.

80-page, modern English translation

Backers will receive the fully waterproof and highly durable edition of The Art of War - limited edition of 500 copies only!

Production

After some testing we now have blank prototypes of the books with fully waterproof binding and paper. We have also tested the ink at various water temperatures and soap types. The books will be made of synthetic paper made from polypropylene, which is fully waterproof but feels like real paper at a thickness of just 0.085 mm. No trees are used in the production of the materials, which is fully recyclable (in case it is incinerated with the trash it will be completely burned without any toxic byproducts).

We have talked to many potential partners and found a fantastic production partner based in the US (Imaging Hawaii), who are as passionate about books as we are. They helped us greatly in the testing phase and were willing to do this for a discount, so that we can make it happen even with a small print run of just 500 copies per book.

Design

We have been working on the design of the books since January this year, focusing on a great reading experience and a timeless look. After experimenting with a wide range of designs, we have developed a range of Bibliobath designs which represent a modern brand but still retain the look of a real 'classic'.

Risks and challenges

The design and editing stage has already been completed and we have produced a blank prototype for each book and tested the printing on both normal and synthetic paper. This means that there are hardly any risks regarding the technology itself or delays in printing. However, we could not use offset printing to test our designs, which means that slight variations in color cannot be excluded, especially for the cover.

The printer we selected has experience with large print orders and is fully engaged in the process. We are confident that we can deliver a high-quality final product on deadline.